Heynes to Keynote Women’s History Banquet

Jeannine Heynes will be the keynote speaker for the St. Mary’s County National Women’s History Month Banquet.

The banquet is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall in Lexington Park.

Ms. Heynes is the director of women and gender resources at Johns Hopkins University. Her work focuses on the advancement of female students’ personal, academic and professional achievements, while supporting all students on matters related to gender equity and inclusion.

The 2020 Women’s History Banquet theme, “Valiant Women of the Vote,” pays tribute to those who fought for women’s voting rights in the United States. The evening will be a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. The drive behind this fight was a desire and need for women’s voices to be heard, valued and represented. Its achievement meant that women could now be included in the process to determine laws and policies that affected their very own lives, and it was an attempt at an immensely important step toward gender equity in the US.

Ms. Heynes embodies these ideals in her everyday work. She is currently supporting the 100th anniversary celebration of the 19th Amendment by serving as a co-chair on the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commemoration Committee for Johns Hopkins University. Her belief in and passion for gender equity and inclusion have been the motivation for her academic and professional success for more than 20 years, as she has eagerly served as an educator, mentor, and advocate for girls and women, as well as for all who struggle to be heard, to be valued and represented.

The banquet will also feature presentations of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement, Woman of the Year, and Tomorrow’s Woman Awards.

The event is open to the public and seat reservations are available for purchase for $30. Proceeds from the banquet go to the Jane Hale Sypher Scholarship Fund, established to support nontraditional students at the College of Southern Maryland who are single parents or displaced homemakers.

For more information, call Debra Kane at 301-475-4200, ext. 71680, or email [email protected].